Main menu

Post navigation

Norgs: the unconference: “this is the day that the war ends”

I wanted to post this quickly to point you to a few participants and their reports, the day was too big skip without getting at least this up. I will have more later, about the day, the format (hey – the unconference format works!), and thoughts for the future.

While not as diverse as we would have liked, we had around 40 attendees participants (everyone was a participant – there was no panel or speakers – thanks Dave) from blogging, independent publishing, and newspaper industry backgrounds. Folks that normally don’t see eye to eye – let alone see common cause. I believe we succeeded in building bridges while exchanging ideas, thoughts, and concerns.

Jeff Jarvis: Saving journalism (and killing the press): “I say this is the day that the war ends. This isn’t journalism against bloggers anymore. It never was, really. This is journalists and bloggers together in favor of news.”

Howard: After the unconference: “The room was swarming with ideas from not only veteran journalists and editors, but also from bloggers, students and people simply passionate about the future of news delivery. It was pretty exciting.”

What comes next is the rub. The next few days will determine much for two cornerstones of our community and for a number of others across the country.

Blinq: Blue Sky On a Gray Day: “The elephant of the room is the iffy futures of The Inquirer and The Daily News. Knight Ridder has sold us to McClatchy, which doesn’t want us. Bids to buy the dirty dozen are due Tuesday.”

Albert Yee in Norgs and his Flickr set captured the day in picture, in addition the folks at PhillyIMC took video. Expect that up shortly.

I’m honored to have worked with Susie Madrak, and Wendy Warren, and Will Bunch of the Daily News in pulling this together. I couldn’t imagine a better team. Thanks to Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania for providing the facilities and for participating (Dean Michael X. Delli Carpini was an integral voice of the day) .

And speaking of participating – thanks to everyone that came out, spoke up, and listened to one another.

We’re going to work hard at bringing together a living Norgs resource based upon the work of the day and its related continuing conversation. It will include a forum provided by the folks at PhillyBlog.com, a Wiki, and blog. Keep an eye out for it.